Mine roof support beam with wall drilling end



May 4, 1954 P. V. MALLOY ET AL A MINE ROOF SUPPORT BEAM WITH WALLDRILLING END Filed Feb. 17, 1950 8 Sheets-Sheet l KKY INVENTORS 341/: V-Macy BY 840: MT M440 W MI74-W Army/vars May 4, 1954 P. v. MALLOY ET ALMINE ROOF SUPPORT BEAM WITH WALL DRILLING END Filed Feb. 17, 1950 8Sheets-Sheet 2 1NVENTOR5 PM V Mngay 84114 J'- M4440) $Mq% Aflvg/vsys P.v. MALLOY ET AL 3 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR5 BM 1 Muwy BY P40: .73 ManyW- I g l ATTORNAE'XS May 4, 1954 MINE ROOF SUPPORT BEAM WITH WALLDRILLING END Filed Feb. 17, 1950 May 4, 1954 P. v. MALLOY ET AL MINEROOF SUPPORT BEAM WITH WALL DRILLING END Filed Feb. 17, 1950 8Sheets-Sheet 4 5 INF]. 1 mo w u I! M NM.-- Q wk 2 I Arnqmsys May 4, 1954P. v. MALLOY ET AL MINE ROOF SUPPORT BEAM WITH WALL DRILLING END FiledFeb. 17, 1950 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 Ex. I

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' firmwysys 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTORS V. M; 4 0y Arum s P. V. MALLOY ETAL MINE ROOF SUPPORT BEAM WITH WALL DRILLING END 1/ Aw; .2 Manor Mqr-7May 4, 1954 Filed Feb. 1'7, 1950 P. V. MALLOY ET AL MINE ROOF SUPPORTBEAM WITH WALL DRILLING END May 4, 1954 8 Sheets-Sheet '7 Filed Feb.1'7, 1950 I INVENTORS 8404 l M4440) By 840: .ZMAuoY Arm/ways y 1954 P.v. MALLOY ET AL 2,677,535

MINE ROOF SUPPORT BEAM WITH WALL DRILLING END Filed Feb. 17, 1950 sSheets-Sheet a Patented May 4, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MINEROOF SUPPORT BEAM WITH WALL DRILLING END Paul V. Malloy and Paul J.Malloy, Lakewood, Ohio Claims.

This invention relates to the mining of coal or other materials and, asone of its objects, aims to provide novel apparatus by which suchmaterials can be mined more safely and in a more rapid, economical andsatisfactory manner than has heretofore been possible. The invention isapplicable to various kinds of materials to be mined, but beingespecially suitable and practical for th mining of coal, it is describedherein as applied to that use but without any intention of limiting theinvention to that particular material.

Another object of this invention is to provide novel apparatus formining in which roof supports of the so-called boring beam type areemployed and form a roof-supporting canopy over a work area at which thematerial is being removed from a mine wall.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel form oiroof-support beam which is adapted to be supported at one end thereof ona mine wall and which has drill means associated therewith enabling thebeam to form its own support opening in the mine wall.

Still another object is to provide novel apparatus for mining in whichtime roof-support beams form a protective canopy over a work areaadjacent a mine wall and have drilling ends supported on such wall byengagement in openings thereof and in which the drilling ends produce adeepening of said openings, while the beams remain engaged therein, forprogressively advancing the canopy and maintaining the same continuouslyover the work area.

Yet another object is to provide a novel roofsupport beam having drillmeans at one end thereof for forming or deepening a supporting openingin a mine wall and such beam also having conveyor means extending alongthe same in a direction away from the drill means for expelling thedrillings from the opening.

As a further object this invention provides novel minin apparatuscomprising a roof-support in the form of a boring beam adapted to formits own supporting opening in a mine wall and mechanism adapted fordetachable connection with the boring beam for imparting drillingmovement thereto.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a novel boring beamactuating mechanism adapted for detachable driving connection with aboring beam and including a carriage supported on the mine floor formovement of such actuating mechanism from one to another of a pluralityof such boring beams.

Still another object is to provide boring beam actuating mechanismhaving bearing means adapted for supporting engagement with a boringbeam adjacent its outer end and also having means adapted to form adetachable driving connection with the boring beam.

A further object is to provide novel boring beam actuating mechanismwhich includes a traverse device for imparting rotary and longitudinaldrilling movement to the boring beam.

As still another object this invention provides boring beam actuatingmechanism which includes elevator means for moving the traverse deviceand bearing means into and out of cooperating engagement with the boringbeam to which drilling movement is to be imparted.

The invention can be further briefly summarized as consisting in certainnovel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described andparticularly set out in the claims hereof.

In the accompanying sheets of drawings,

Figs. 1 and 2 are complemental plan views of contiguous portions of amine and illustrate the mining apparatus of the present invention;

Figs. 3 and 4 are complemental elevational views showing the samecontiguous portions of the mine as are illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2,respectively;

Fig. 5 is a perspectiv view of the drilling end of a mine roof-supportof the so-called boring beam type provided by this invention;

Fig. 6 is an end view of such drilling end;

Fig. 7 is a similar end view but with the drilling bits removed;

Fig. 8 is an edge view showing the central drilling bit in detachedrelation;

Fig. 9 is an end elevation of a boring beam actuating mechanism oroperating machine, the same being shown with its bearing means andtransverse device in operative engagement with one of the boring beams;

Fig. 1D is a View of the boring beam actuating mechanism showing thesame partly in vertical section, the View being taken substantially asindicated by section line lill ll of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a top plan View of the boring beam actuating mechanism;

Fig. 12 is a partial end elevation of the boring beam actuatingmechanism and showing the traverse device thereof on a larger scale;

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary plan View of the traverse device;

Fig. 14 is a partial vertical section taken through the traverse devicesubstantially on sec-- tion liine I l-M of Fig. 12;

Fig. 15 is an end elevation of a roof propping and subsidence controldevice forming a part of the mining apparatus of this invention;

Fig. 16 is a longitudinal vertical section taken through the roofpropping and subsidence control device, as indicated by section linel5-li3 of Fig. 15;

Fig. 17 is a top plan view of a towing device for imparting advancemovement to the roof propping and subsidence control device; and

Fig. 18 is a vertical section taken through a mine having a thin seam ofthe minable material and illustrating the application of the presentinvention thereto.

In proceeding with a more detailed description of this improved miningapparatus, the various units of the apparatus will be first referred toin a general way and will be subsequently described herein in greaterdetail. These units include a main conveyor Ill, a loading unit l l, acutting unit l2 and a drilling unit l3. Additionally, the improvedmining apparatus of this invention includes a plurality of spaced-apartroof supports M of the so-called boring beam type, a boring beamactuating machine 5, a roof propping and subsidence control unit it anda towing unit ii.

The various units just referred to are located in a mine chamber ortunnel it having a longitudinally extending upright side wall formed bythe coal or other material to be mined and from which wall the materialis removed by a progressive mining operation. The point at which thecoal is being removed from the wall it is referred to herein as the workarea and is desig nated by the reference character 2% in Fig. 2. At thiswork area the coal is removed from the wall I53 by the loading unit Hand is delivered by the latter onto the main conveyor it is carried outof the mine room 88. in ing coalfrom the wall til at the work area worksection '25 of approprate thickness is open ated upon and the work areais advanced by the progressive removal of the work section 2% fromthe'face of the wall l9.

supported on the mine wall it by being enga e-a in openings 23 of thiswall. The beams are supported attheir outer ends by propping meanswhich'is here shown as being in the form of a vertically extensiblecolumn or post 25.

The openings 23 extend into the wail it? at substantially right anglesto the outer face thereof and are disposed in a longitudinal row at oradjacent the level of the mine roof i812 so that the beams will be inproper position to provide support for theroof when their ends aresupported, respectively, by engagement in these openings and with theposts 25. The openings 23 are preb erably located at or immediatelybelow the level of the mine roof although they can, if desired, belocated above the general level of the roof if trenches are provided inthe roof to receive the beams or vwhen irregularities in the roof extendabove such general level. It should also be understood that when thebeams have been located in position close to the mine roof by engagement4 of their ends with the openings 23 and the posts 25, they can then bemoved upwardly to apply supporting thrust to the roof by extension ofthe posts 25 and by the use of suitable shims (not shown) in theopenings 23 if such shims are needed.

As already indicated above in a general Way, it is an important featureof this invention that the mine roof-support beams [4 are adapted toform their own mounting openings 23 in the mine wall I9 and, for thatreason, are referred to herein as boring beams. These beams and thedrilling means associated therewith will be described in greater detailhereinafter. All of these boring beams are of the same construction andare adapted to be used in the same manner and in interchangeablerelation with each other, but to facilitate the detailed descriptionwhich is to follow, the beams are referred to as being divided intothree groups comprising the beams l lo, I 21;- and Ida.

The beams Ma extend into the portion lila of the mine wall which islocated in advance of the loading unit I l and in which the openings23:1. are of a greater depth than the thickness of the work section 2|.The beams Ma extend into the deep openings 23a for a distance such thattheir inner ends will extend inwardly beyond the work section ii. Theroof-support beams Mb extend into openings 23b of the wall portion tab.This portion of the mine wall represents the new face or side wall ofthe mine chamber 18 which is exposed after the removal of the worksection 2 i, and the openings 2% whichextend into this wall portion arethe portions of these openings which remain in the mine wall after thework section has been removed.

The inner ends of thebeams Mb extend into the openings 23]; for only ashort distance, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, but which distance issuflicient to provide proper support for these ends of the beams on themine walls. The roof-support beams l4c engage in relatively deepopenings 230 or" the mine wall portion l9?) and extend into thesedeepopenings for a greater distance than the thickness of a work sectionZia. This work section 2 to is similar to the work section 2! andrepresents thelocation atwhich the loading unit H, or another such unit,will be put into operation for the next progressive mining operation tobe performed on the wall iii.

One individual mine roof-support beam Md is shown between the groups ofbeams ii -b and Me. The beam Md represents the individual beam on whichthe boringbeam actuating unit i5 is then operating and by whichthe-opening 25rd is being deepened from the shallow depth of the supporting openings 23b to the greater depth of the supporting openings 230.

For the purposes of the present invention it is importantto understandthat the inner or drill ends22 of the mine roof-support beams M alwaysremain engaged in the openings 23 of the mine wall l9'so that these endsof the beams will always be strongly supported on undisturbed solidmaterial of-the'mine Wall. As the mining operation-progresses, theboring beams I are undisturbed portions of the mine wall and this solidsupport will remain after the removal of the work sections 2| and 2 lafrom the mine wall. Reverting now to the individual units which havebeen referred to only in a general way above, it should be explainedthat the main conveyor Iii can be a flexible conveyor of anyconventional construction and can be driven by any suitable power meansfor moving the mined coal in the direction indicated by the arrow 26.This conveyor includes a straight portion liia extending adjacent, andin substantially parallel relation to, the mine wall portion Mia andanother straight portion lilb extending along the wall portion it?) at alocation between this wall and the units iii, it and H. The conveyoralso includes an inclined portion lllc connecting the portions iiia andit?) and by which the conveyor portion iiib is diverted or swung inbehind the loading machine ii so as to extend adjacent, and insubstantially parallel relation to, the wall portion iiib.

The loading unit can be any conventional loading apparatus by which coalcan be removed from the work section 2! and delivered onto the mainconveyor is. As here shown the loading unit H includes a cutter 2'? anda set of bottom and side conveying members 28, 29 and St for moving themined coal rearwardly away from the work section 2!. This loadingapparatus also includes another set of bottom and side conveying membersIii, 32 and 33 by which the mined coal is moved transversely of thechamber 18 and delivered onto the conveyor Hi. The loading machine i ialso includes a suitable frame structure or chassis 3d mounted on treadmembers 340; for movement along the mine floor 18a to engage the cutter2'4 with the work section 2! and suitable power devices supported on theframe structure for actuating the tread members 34a and for actuatingthe cutter 2? and the movable conveyor members.

The units 82 and i3 are located in advance of the loading unit I! foroperating on corresponding advance portions of the work section 2 l. Theunit l2 comprises a conventional cutting machine having a power drivencutting member 35 for under-cutting the work section 2| of the mine wallportion Eda. The unit I3 is a conventional drilling machine having apower operating drill 36 for forming holes in the mine wall portion lfiaand which holes are used in breaking down the work section 2| byexplosive charges or other means.

as shown in Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive, each of the boring beams i4comprises an elongated structural load-carrying member, preferably inthe form of an I-beam 38 as here shown and which includes top and bottomflanges 38a and 38b and an upright connecting web 380. The inner ordrill end 22 of the beam I4 is provided with a plurality of drillingbits which, in this instance, include a central hit its and pairs of topand bottom bits. of these pairs consists of a bit 40 having asubstantially straight cutting end and a bit 4% having a cutting endprovided with a hooklike portion Ma. The boring beam 54 also includes aconveying means for expelling drillings from the opening 23 and whichconveying means is here shown as being in the form of a sheet metalmember or thread which extends spirally or helically around the beam andin a direction away from the drilling end 22 thereof.

As shown in Fig. 5, the above-mentioned bits are mounted on the beam [4soas to project from the inner end 22 thereof for drilling cooperationwith the mine wall [9 when rotary and axial movement is imparted to thebeam. The paired bits 40 and 4! are located adjacent the top and bottomflanges 38a :and 38b of the I- beam 38 and on opposite sides of the web380 thereof so that when rotary movement is imparted to the beam in aright-hand or clockwise direction, as seen in Fig. 5, the thrustreaction of these bits during the drilling operation will be takenmainly in .a lateral direction against the web 330.

Since the inner or drilling ends 22 of the beams i i always remainengaged in the supporting openings 23 of the mine wall l9, it isnecessary to provide for the removal and replacement of these bits, fromtime to time, without disengagement of the beams from the supportingopenings. For this purpose the bits are of such length and are somounted on the beam N that the rear ends of the bits will project fromthe supporting opening 2% while the inner end of the beam remainssuficiently engaged in this opening.

To provide for such a dismountable connection for the central drillingbit 39 with the beam i i, this bit is provided with a substantiallyU-shaped or hook-like inner end portion 42 (see Fig. 8) adapted forhooked engagement over the inner end of the web 38c, as shown in Figs. 5and 6. Shifting of this hook-shaped inner end 42 vertically along theweb 380 is prevented by pro viding the end of this web with a notch 13(see Fig. 7) in which the hook-like portion 42 has seating engagement.The central bit 39 also includes a stem portion 44 which extendsoutwardly along one face of the web 380 and is anchored to the web by aclamping 'bolt cs extending through the stem adjacent its outer end.

In removing a worn bit 39 from the beam i i, the clamping bolt 45 isremoved and the hookshaped inner end 42 is disengaged from the inner endof the web 380, whereupon this bit can be Withdrawn from the opening23and a new or resharpened bit substituted therefor. To permit suchdisengagement of the hook-like inner end 42 from the web 38c and thewithdrawal of the bit 39, a clearance space 46 is provided in theconvolutions of the conveyor 31 and which space will permit thenecessary lateral shifting of the bit 39 to disengage its hook-shapedinner end and to then be withdrawn rearwardly along the I-beam 38through such clearance space.

The paired bits 49 and are held in place adjacent the web 380 by beingmounted in 1ongitudinally aligned openings 41 of the convolutions of thespiral conveyor 37 and have the outer ends of their stems anchored onthe web' 380 by the clamping bolts 48. In removing the paired bits 48and M from the beam l4 for replacement by similar new or resharpenedhits, the bit id is withdrawn first through the mounting openings :17.The free withdrawal of the'bit so is possible because the cutting meansprovided on the inner end of this bit does not overhang its side faces.After the bit 40 has been thuswithdrawn the bit 41 can be'shifted in theopenings Al in a direction to permit this bit to also be withdrawnwithout interference "by the hook-like cutting projection In replacingthe paired bits ll] and H, the bit is inserted first and shifted to theposition shown in Figs. 5 and 6, after which the straight bit 40 isinserted. f

The spiral conveyor tlof the boring beam Hi can be formed by acontinuous 'sheetmetal strip which extends around and ,along the I- beam38 in-the mannerofahelical thread and has portions thereof cut out sothat this conveyor will fitsnugly-around .the flange and web portions ofthe I-beam. .The sheet metal strip forming this conveyor can be weldedor otherwise suitably attached to the I-beam 33 for mounting the stripthereon. The strip forming the spiral conveyor can be of suitable widthso that portions of the conveyor will extend somewhat above andbelow thetop and bottom flanges of the I-beam 38. These projecting portions willnot ordinarily be required to carry the roof load because such load willbeborne by drillings which become packed between the convolutions of theconveyor. During the rotary drilling movement imparted to the beam M,the conveyor 31 propels the drillings from the minewall i9 rearwardlyalong the opening 23 and ejects the same from this opening. The conveyor23'! extends along the beam id for a substantial portion of itslength,as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so that a portion of the conveyor will alwaysproject from the .wall opening for .the accomplishment of such dischargeof the drillings. facilitate the free passage of the drillings along thebeam I4 underthe influence of the spiral conveyor 31, the topand'bottomflangesfifia. and 38b of the I-beam 38 can be notched out, as indicatedat 49 in, Fig. 5,between each .pairof adjacent convolutions of theconveyor.

As already mentioned above, the mine roofsupport means M .areadapted tobe supported. at their outer ends by prop means in the form of the-posts'25 here shown. These posts each comprise an upright column member ihaving a foot portion 52.at'the lower end thereof adapted to besupported .on the mine floor .iila and also having a threaded portion 54adjacent its upper end. Thepost also includesa sleeve member 55telescoping over the column member 5E and a rotatable nut 5'! engagingthe thread 54 and providing anadjustable connection be tween the columnmember and the lowerend of the sleeve member. The upper end of thesleeve member 56 is provided with a cap portion 58 on which the outerendEB of the beam t4 isadapted to rest. When the beam Mhasibeen advancedinto one of the openings 2:3 of the mine wall 5'9 for the desireddistance, the post @5 13 placed under the outer end 59 of the beamand byrotation of the nut 5'lthe sleeve memberifit is forced upwardly,therebytlifting :the beam into sup porting engagement with theminerroof.

The construction and operation of the boring beam actuating unit !5 willbe describedlnext. As shown in Figs. 9, 10 and 1l,-the'unit i5 isprovided with a carriage or frame structurefil which comprises a pair ofpivotally connected lower and upper frame members 62 and $3. "The lowerframe member'GZ is provided :with tread members which, in'this instance,are in the form of endless traction belts '64 so as to adapt the unit [5for self-propelling.movement along the mine floor Eta. The tractionbelts es extend around pairs of wheels or sprockets '65 and 56 which arerotatably mounted onthe frame member 62 adjacentthe ends thereof.

The sprockets.65'areoperably connected with a driving motor '6'! througha reduction gearing 5B and a clutch ES to be driven by-this motor forimpartingadvance movement to the traotion belts 64. The motorfi'l isalsoused-to-d-rive a hydraulic pressure generating unit 70 which is mountedonthecarriage BI and with'which this motor is connected by a clutch H.When ,the motor 6! is not being used to propel the unit IS, theclutch-69 canbe disengaged and the clutch H can be engaged so that thissame motor can then be used to drive the hydraulic pressure generatingmechanism for a purpose to be explained hereinafter.

The upper frame member 63 extends in an upwardly and rearwardlyinclined-relation to the lower frame member 62 and constitutes a carrieror elevator means on which atraverse device 12 is mounted. As will beexplained hereinafter, this traverse device forms anoperative connectionbetween the machine [5 and one of the boringbeams, in this instance theboring beam Md, to which a rotary and axial drilling movement is to beimparted. The lower frame member 62 is provided at the forward endthereof with a pair of upstanding arms or ;bracl ets l3 and the upperframe member 63 is pivotally mounted on a shaft 14 which extendstransversely of the unit 15 and is journalled in these brackets.

The upper frame member 63 canbe swung relative to the lower frame memberfor moving the traverse device 12 into and out of driving cooperationwith the boring beam Md and this is accomplished by a pair of hydraulicpower cylinders 75. At their lower end thesepower oy inders arepivotally connected with the carriage iii by transverse pivot pins 1E5.Piston rods 11 projecting from the cylinders at their upper end arepivotally connected with the upper frame member an intermediate pointthereof by the transverse pivot pins 18. The cylinders '15 aredouble-acting cylinders to which hydraulic pressure fluid can besupplied by the hydraulic pressure generating unit '10 through suitableconduits (not shown).

The traverse device 12 includes alaterally extending guide shaftedmounted in the upper end of the frame member or elevator83 and a head 8iwhich is slidable on this guide shaft for-movement back and forth acrossthe upper end of this frame member. The traverse device also includes arotary drive shaft 82 whi'ch is journalled in the upper end of the framemember:63 and extends in substantially parallel relation to the guideshaft 89. The head Bl hasan openingthrough which the drive shaft 82extends and carries a. driving gear d3 whose hub is splined on the driveshaft by a longitudinally extending key 84 and is slidable on this shaftduring movements of the head thereon. A second gear Bijournalled on thehead 81 is in meshing engagement with the gear 83 to be driventherebyand carries a forked axial extension or yoke member 88 forming aconnecting means which is releasably engageable with the outer end 59 ofthe beam [Ad by beingmoved into straddling relation to the web 380 ofthis beam, as shown in Figs. 9 and 13. -When rotary moveiinent impartedto the shaft 82, the gear 83 will be driven thereby to impart rotationto the second gear 85 and the connecting fork 36 carried thereby. Therotary movement thus supplied to the connecting fork 86 will be impartedto the outer end of the boring beam [4d when the connecting fork is inengagement with such outer end, as is shown in Fig.9.

The rotary drive shaft 82- of the traverse device 72 adapted to bedriven from the shaft 14 and, for this purpose, a chain 19 is providedwhich extends around sprockets 19a and 19b. The sprocket 19a is mountedon the projecting end of the shaft IA-and the sprocket 19b is mounted 9on the projecting end of the shaft 82, as shown in Figs. 9 and 11.

When drilling movement is being imparted to the boring beam Md it isnecessary to support or journal this beam at a point adjacent its outerend so that the beam will be freely rotatable with such rotationconfined to the longitudinal axis of the beam. For this purpose each ofthe boring beams is provided with a journal member 81 in the form of ashort cylindrical sleeve which is mounted on the beam so as to extendtherearound, as shown in Figs. 12 and 14. The journal member 87 can bewelded or otherwise suitably connected with the beam. The supportingmeans for the boring beam also includes a bearing member or steady rest88 which is carried by the head ill of the traverse device 12. As shownin Figs. 12 and 14, the bearing member 88 can be in the form of anupwardly-opening fork member or bracket which is formed as an integralpart of the head 3! or is suitably mounted thereon adjacent theconnecting fork 86.

The journal member 81 is mounted on the boring beam ltd so that itsspacing relative to the outer end 58 of the beam will correspond withthe lateral spacing between the connecting fork 86 and the bearing fork88, such that when the outer end of the beam is drivingly engaged by theconnecting fork 86 the journal member 8'! will be straddled andsupportingly engaged by the hearing fork lid. Thus it will be seen thatwhen the traverse device '12 is moved upwardly by an upward swingingmovement of the frame member to engage the connecting fork 86 instraddling relation to the outer end 59 of the boring beam Md, thebearing fork 88 will at the same time be moved upwardly to straddle thejournal member 81' and thereby support the outer end of the beam forrotary movement.

In the matter of establishing the above explained driving connectionbetween the traverse device i2 and the outer end of the boring beam Md,it should be explained that when the mounting openings 23 are formed inthe mine wall is they are always made somewhat deeper, as shown in Figs.1 and 2, than is needed for the supporting engagement of the beamstherein. When the boring beams are in their roof-supporting positionwith their outer ends 59 resting on the posts 25, their inner ends 22will be retracted somewhat from the extreme inner ends of the mountingopenings 23 thus leaving an intervening space 89 therebetween. Thisintervening space 89 provides for an idle inward movement of the boringbeam Md when the driving connection of the traverse device 12 with theouter end of this, beam is to be established.

Preparatory to the forming of this driving connection, the post 25 isslackened oil? by rotation of the nut 57 and the beam ldd is then movedinwardly through the extent of the idle movement afiorded by theintervening space 89. This idle inward movement of the beam can beaccomplished either manually or by use of the traverse device i2. At thetime that this inward idle movement to be imparted to the beam Md, thepost is removed and the outer end of this beam is temporarily supportedas by a manually applied propping means (not shown), or is permitted torest on a portion of: the traverse device it.

To enable the traverse device 12 to impart such inward idle movement tothe beam Md, the head 8! of the traverse device is provided with anupstanding driving lug or pair of lugs 90 at a suitable location thereonand which lugs are adapted to be engaged with the outer edge of thejournal member 87. When the lugs 90 have been thus engaged with thejournal member 3?, longitudinal movement imparted to the head 8! in aright-hand direction as seen in Fig. 12, thereby shifting the beam ltdinwardly through the intervening idle space 69 to engage the drillingbits 3%, it! and ll with the inner end of the opening 23d and at thesame time moving the outer end 59 of the beam to the broken lineposition shown in Fig. 13. By this initial idle movement of the beam lld, its outer end 59 and the journal member 87 will be brought intoposition to be engaged respectively by the connecting fork 36 and thebearing fork 313 when the head 8! is elevated by the frame member 63 toestablish the above described operating connection with this beam.

For moving the head 8i along the shafts and 82, the traverse device 12is provided with cables 95 and 92 which are attached to the head andextend over suitable pulleys 93 to a pair of winding drums 9d and 95.These drums are mounted on a transverse shaft 96 which is journalled inthe upper frame member 63 and extends in adjacent substantially parallelrelation to the shaft it. When the winding shaft $5 is rotated in onedirection, the cable 9! will pull the head 8i toward the right, as seenin Figs. 9 and ii, to advance the boring beam l ld simultaneously withthe rotary movement being imparted thereto by the connecting fork 86.During this advance movement of the head at, the drum 95 will unwind orpay out the cable 92 at the same rate. Conversely, when the shaft 96 isrotated in the opposite direction the cable 92 will pull the head 8itoward the left, as seen in Figs. 9 11, to retract the same and duringthis movement the cable ii will be unwound or payed out by the drum 94.To obtain the winding and unwinding functions just explained, the cable9| passes to the winding drum 94 so as to be tangent to the upper sidethereof and the cable 92 passes to the drum 55 so as to be tangent tothe underside thereof.

For the purpose of imparting this back and forth movement to the head Blof the traverse device l2 through the cables 9! and 92, a driving motor9? is mounted on an overhanging portion es of the frame member 63 and isconnected with the transverse shaft it through a reduction gearing 99.The shaft it is, in turn, connected with the winding shaft 96 foractuation of the latter in opposite directions and at two differentwinding speeds. A driving chain Hill extending around a pair ofsprockets Hit and ms of the shafts M and at provides an operatingconnection for driving the shaft and the winding drum 94 in the properdirection and at a relatively low speed for imparting a correspondingrelatively slow advance movement of the head 3! toward the right duringthe drilling movement being imparted to the boring beam l ld. A pair ofgears I03 and Eli l mounted on the shafts M and 95 and disposed inmeshing engagement with each other form an operating connection betweenthese shafts by which the shaft 96 and the winding drum 935 will berotated in the opposite direction and at a relatively higher speed forimparting a more rapid return movement to the head 8!.

For controlling the direction and speed of movement desir d to beimparted to the head ill, a clutch member M35 is splined on the windingshaft 96 and is adapted to be shifted by a lever 5&8 into engagementwith either the sprocket member I02 or the gear I04. It will beunderstood,v of course, that the sprocket NH and the gear S33 are keyedor otherwise connected with the driving shaft 14, but that the sprocketHi2 and the gear IEl i rotate freely on the shaft 96 except when one orthe other of these members is connected to the winding shaft by theclutch collar I65,

The boring beam operating unit I5 can also be provided with a roofpropping means for supporting the mine roof I8b at one or more pointsadjacent to the beam Md to which drilling movement is being imparted.For this purpose a pair of laterally spaced hydraulic pressureresponsive cylinders I08 are mounted in fixed relation on the carriageGI and a pair of correspondingly spaced forked supporting members I89arecarried by the piston rods Hi]. The arms of the forked membersIIiEIextend upwardly on opposite sides of the boring beam I4- which isnext adjacent to the boring beam I id to which the drilling movement isbeing imparted. These forked members are provided with rockableandselfaligning pads iII which extend transversely of the unit It inspaced-apart substantially parallel relation and engagethe mine roof ISbon opposite sides of such next adjacent boring beam I4, as shown in Fig.10. Hydraulic pressure fluid can be supplied to the cylinders I36 fromthe pressure generating unit I9 through suitable conduits (not shown).

In the functioning of the boring beam actuating unit it it will beunderstood that this unit will be advanced along the minefioor Ilia fromone to another of the boring beams is and, by imparting drillingmovement to these boring beams in succession, will drill these beamsinto the mine wall I9 so that the boring beams Mb will thereby beshifted inwardly to the position of the boring beams i 40. After eachbeam has been thus drilled into'the mine wall to the extent indice-tedin Fig. 1 for the boring beams I40, it is supported at its outer end byreplacing the post 25 thereunder and rotating the nut 51 toextend thepost and lift such outer end of thebeam into proper supportingengagement with the mine roof.

The roof propping-and subsidence control unit I6 of Figs. 15 and 16 willbe described next. This propping device Hi'comprises a carriage II2which is movable along the mine floor Illa and is formed by a pair ofpivotally connected lower and upper frame members H3 and H4. The lowerframe member He is provided at the'rear end thereof with a pair ofvupstanding brackets I I5 on which the rear end oftheupper frame'I I4 ispivotally mounted by the transverse pivot shaft H6. The frame members H3and II 4 are connected adjacent their forward ends by a pair ofhydraulic pressure fluid responsive cylinderdevices II! which serve tospread apart these frame members for causing the upper frame member toexert anupward supporting pressure against the mine roof.

The cylinder devices II'I are provided at the lower end thereof withheads I I8 which are pivotally connected with the lower frame member II3 by. a transverse pivot shaft I I9. Piston rods I20 projecting fromthe opposite end of these cylinder devices are pivotally connected withthe upper frame member by a-transverse pivot shaft i2I. The cylinderdevices I H are double-acting and are adapted to be supplied withpressure fluid from the hydraulic pressure generating unit I of theboring beam actuating machine I or from any other 122 suitable source.The connecting means formed by the hydraulic cylinder devices. III is ofsuch length that theupper frame member I I4 extends in a downwardlyandrearwardly inclined sloping relation with respect to-the lower framemember IIS, as'is shown inFigs. 3 and 16.

The'lower and upper frame members H3 and I Ill are provided respectivelywith movable tread members I22 and I23 which areengageable with theminefloor I8aand the mine roof ifib. The tread member I22is here shownas being an end-- less belt which extends around a plurality of wheelsor sprockets I24 which are rotatably mounted on the lower frame member II3. Similarly. the-upper tread member I23 is an belt which extendsaround a plurality of wheels or sprockets I25which are rotatably mountedon the upper frame member II-t. With the corn structionjust describedabove for the propping device IE, it will be'seen that when this deviceis moved forward inthe mine chamber is the downwardly and rearwardlysloping relation of the upper frame-member I It: will permit the roofmaterial to gradually subside or cave in as the propping device isadvanced. During this a-:-.- vance movement of the propping device thetread members I22'and I23'travelaround their mounting wheels I24 and I25whil the contact portions of these tread: members remain in engagementwith the mine floor and roof res cotively. The material; which is thusperml ted to subside from'the-mine roof by the downwardly and rearwardlysloping frame member H 3 and the tread member I23, is carried rearwardlyby this tread-member and slides down a ramp men ber I26 which is mountedon the carriage I I2 at the rear thereof. The ramp member 228 also formsa shield for protecting the propping device from damage by the subsidingmaterial.

The advance movement for the propping device It can be imparted theretoby the towing unit I? which, as shown in Figs. 3 and 17, a wheeledvehicle. I28 which is movable along the mine floor I811 inadvance ofvthe boring beam actuating unit I5. This towing unit is provided witha'body'or' housing I29 in which a hydraulic pressuregenerating device inthe form of a high pressure pump I30:islocated and is adapted to bedriven byan electric motor I3I. This towing unit also includes acylinder I32 located in the housing I29 and to'which pressure fiuid isde livered by the pump I30:

A piston I33 operable in the cylinder it: connected witha piston rod I34which projv rearwardly from the towing unit IT. This pic ton rod isconnected with the propping device It by meansof' a towing bridle I35 sothat move-- ment imparted to the piston I33 toward the 1 g t. as seen inFig. 17 while the towing unit if held stationary, will transmit a strongforward pulling movement to the propping device. For maintaining thetowing device I? in a stationary position while the piston I33 is beingthus ectuated, the towing device is provided with gripping meansI36=which is engageable with a cable 53! extending longitudinallythrough the mine chamber-I8. After the propping device has been advanceda distance corresponding with one power strokeof the piston I33, thetowing device I'I isadvanced toward the right as seen in Fig. 17, inpreparation for another power stroke of the piston I33; It will beunderstood, of course, that the remote end of the cable It'i can besuitably anchored, or can be attached. to a power driving winding drum(not shown), to

permit this towing operation to be carried out as above explained. Whenthe remote end of the cable is anchored in a fixed relation, the gripperiSB will be advanced along the cable with a step by-step movement.

In connection with the operation of the propping device it, it will beobser ed from Fig. i that this device is located in the mine chamber isimmediately behind the boring beam actuating unit it and opposite thegroup of boring beams Me which have already been advanced into the minewall It by the unit id in preparation for the mining operation to beperformed on the work section Zia. With the propping device in thislocation it will be seen that the roof material which is permitted tosubside or cave in by the forward movement of the propping device fallsinto the space previously occupied by the propping device and since thisspace is laterally oifset beyond the group of boring beams l lo, thematerial accumulating therein will not interfere with the progress ofthe mining operation.

Fig. 18 shows a mining operation in which the present invention isapplied to the mining of coal which occurs in a relatively thin seam orstratum l ifi lying over a layer or clay or other such material iii. Inthis operation, boring beams 242 of the same construction as thosepreviously described herein are shown as extending into a row ofopenings Hit of the mine wall for supporting the mine roof in the samemannor as explained above. Fig. 18 also shows a main conveyor Mextending lon itudinally adjacent the mine wall M5 to receive the coalremoved from the seam S ll) after the underlying layer Ml of wastematerial has been removed. A drilling machine M6 is shown as operatingon the underlying layer i l! to remove the same from beneath the coalseam hit. The drilling machine its also includes a conveyor by which thewaste material from the layer l ll can be discharged over the mainconveyor M5 and .-.eposited on the mine floor in an out of the way loation outwardly of the main conveyor. After the underlying layer it! hasbeen thus removed,

the coal can be readily removed from a work section or" the seam ti t inthe manner already explained above.

From the foregoing detailed description and the accompanying drawings itwill now be readily understood that this invention provides improvedapparatus for mining coal by which the mining operation can be carriedout continuously as well as more safely, rapidly and satisfactorily thanhas heretofore been possible. It will also be seen that the use of theboring beams herein disclosed provides a substantially continuous mineroof-supporting canopy over the work area which will insure safe workingconditions and will prevent damage to the mining apparatus. It will alsobe seen that by the use of the improved apparatus of this invention themining operation can be carried out continuously in a progressive mannerwith only a relatively small number of rooi supporting beams and thatthese beams are used over and over again by advancing them into the minewall as the operation progresses. Additionally, it will be seen thatsince the boring beams provide a continuous roof-supporting canopy overthe working area, it is not necesto leave pillars of coal in the minefor supporting the roof and, hence, the amount of coal heretofore lostin these pillars can now be safely recovered. It will also be seen thatsince the boring beams are advanced from one position to 14 another andthe mine roof is permitted to subide into the mined portions of thechamber is, it is not necessary to leave beams in the mine chamber ashas heretofore been necessary for supporting the mine roof and theexpense represented by such abandoned beams is avoided.

In addition to the advantages already mentioned, it will be seen thatthe boring beams support the mine roof so as to minimize the danger ofcave-ins and so as to provide a relatively narrow continuously openpassage which extends for the length of the conveyor and permits freetravel in both directions and a free circulation of ventilating air. Bythe use of this narrow passage the natural arch is used to advantage insupporting the roof material against cave-in. It will also be seen thatthis improved mining apparatus is adapted for mining in from an outcropof coal and for advancing the mining operation into or around a body ofcoal with the main conveyor having a delivery terminal for the minedcoal at the outer entrance of the mine openin Further, it will be seenthat the improved apparatus can be used to mine coal from the outer edgeof a coal body or, if desired, can be made to extend through such body.Likewise, this apparatus can be used in mining coal by advancing theoperation either in a straight direction into a hill containing a bodyof coal or by advancing the operation along a curved path extendingaround a hill.

Although the improved apparatus of this invention have been illustratedand described here in to a detailed extent, it will be understood, ofcourse, that the invention is not to be regarded as being limitedcorrespondingly in scope, but includes all changes and modificationscoming within the terms of the claims hereof.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. A mine roofsupport beam comprising, an elon ated load-bearing memberadapted to be supported on a mine wall by engagement of one end thereofin a mounting opening of said wall, said member being of a generallyuniform crosssectional size for substantially its full length, and drillmeans carried by said member at said one end and having forwardlypresented cutting portions located at a radial distance from thelongitudinal axis of the beam such that said beam is adapted to form itsown mounting opening directly and of beam-receiving size in said wall,during a combined rotary and advance movement of said beam into thewall.

2. A mine roof-support beam comprising, an elongated load-bearing memberadapted to be supported on a mine wall by engagement of one end thereofin a preformed opening of a bearnreceiving transverse dimension in saidwall, said member being of a generally uniform cross-sectional size forsubstantially its full len th, drill means carried by said one end ofsaid member and having forwardly presented cutting portions located at aradial distance from the longitudinal axis of the beam such that saiddrill means is effective for deepening said opening and substantiallymaintaining said beam-receiving transverse dimension in response todrilling force and movement transmitted through said member while themember remains engaged in said opening, spiral conveying means connectedwith said member for actuation thereby and being efiective fordischarging drillings from said opening.

3. In coal mining apparatus, a plurality of beams disposed inspaced-apart substantially parallel relation and extending laterallyoutwardly in substantially normal relation to a coal wall .eing workedby the progressive advance of a work area and the removal of a worksection of given thickness from. said wall at said work area, said wallhaving openings therein adjacent the mine roof of a transverse dimensionto receive said beams and of a depth in excess of the thickness of said.work section, said beams being supported at one endthereof on said wallby engagement in said openings and adapted to be supported at the otherend-by prop means such that said beams form a roof-supporting canopyover said Work area, said. beams extending into said openings for agreater distance than the thickness of said work section so as to remainsupported on said wall after the removal of said work section therefrom,drill means carried by the forward end ofsaid beams, said drill meanshaving forwardly presented cutting portions located at a radial distancefrom the longitudinal axis of the beam such that said drill means iseffective for deepening said openings and substantially maintaining thetransverse beam-receiving dimension of the deepened openings by acombined rotary and advance movement of the beams while said beamsremain engaged in said openings, and metal plate conveying means securedto said beams and extending spirally therealong for actuation therebyand being effective for discharging drillings from said openings.

4. A mine roof-support beam comprising, an elongated load-carryingmember formed of longitudinally coextending integrally connected web andflange elements, drill bits mounted on said member to provide forwardlyfacing cutting ele ments at one end of said beam such that said cuttingelements are adapted to be actuated as a drilling means by rotary andlongitudinal movement transmitted thereto through the beam, said cuttingelements being at a radial distance from the longitudinal axis of thebeam such that an opening formed in amine wall by said cutting elementswill be of beam-receiving transverse dimension, and a conveying meanscarried by said member and extending spirally thereof, said conveyingmeans being actuated by the same movement of said beam as that whichactuates said drilling means.

5. A mine roof-support beam comprising, an

elongated load-bearing member having longitudinal edge flanges and anintermediate longitudinal web integrally connecting said flanges, adrill bit having a stem extending along said web and cutting elementsdisposed so as to project from one end of said beam, said bit beingadapted to be actuated as a drilling means by actuating movementtransmitted thereto through the beam, and means detachably mounting saidbit on said member including a substantially U-shaped portion on the bitand disposed in hooked engagement with said web.

6. In mining apparatus, a plurality of spacedapart mine roof-supportmembers of the boring beam type having the forward end thereof supportedon a mine wall by engagement in openings extending into said wall, saidmembers having drilling means on the forward ends thereof adapting themto deepen there own mounting openings in said wall in response todrilling movement impartedthereto, each of said support members having afirst connecting portion on the rearend thereof, a carriage movablealong the mine floor from one to another of said support members,connecting means on said carriage adapted for detachable connection withthe rear ends of said support members in succession and comprising asecond connecting portion, one of said connecting portions having arecess therein and the other of said connecting portions beingengageable in said recess, said first and second connecting portionswhen engaged forming a driving connection between said connecting meansand one of said support members for transmitting said drilling movementto the latter, and mechanism on said carriage operable to impart saiddrilling movement to said connecting means and the support memberengaged therewith.

7. In mining apparatus, a plurality of spacedapart mine roof-supportbeams supported at the forward end thereof on a mine wall by engagementin openings extending into said wall and provided with drilling means onsaid forward end adapting the beams to deepen their own mountingopenings in said wall in response to drilling move ment imparted to thebeams, each of said beams comprising connected longitudinal flange andweb portions, a carriage movable along the mine floor adjacent saidbeams, connecting means adapted for detachable engagement with saidbeams in succession at the rear end thereof to provide a drivingconnection therewith, said connecting means comprising a yoke memberengageable with the web portion of said beamsin straddling relationthereto, mechanism on said carriage and operable to move said connectingmeans into and out of said engagement with said beams, and othermechanism on said carriage for imparting said drilling movement throughsaid connecting means to the beam engaged by the latter.

8. In mining apparatus, a plurality of spacedapart mine roof-supportbeams supported at the forward end thereof on a mine wall by engagementin openings extending into said wall and provided with drilling means onsaid forward end adapting the beams to deepen their own mountingopenings in said wall in response to drilling movement imparted to thebeams, each of said beams having a first connecting portion on the rearend thereof and an annular journal portion extending therearoundadjacent said rear end, a carriage movable along the mine floor adjacentsaid beams, connecting means adapted for de tachable engagement withsaid beams in succession to provide a driving connection therewith andcomprising a second connecting portion, one of said connecting portionshaving a recess therein and the other of said connecting portions beingengageable in said recess, said first and second connecting portionswhen engaged forming a driving connection between said connecting meansand one of said beams for transmitting drilling movement to the latter,bearing means engageable with said beams in succession and providingsupport for the same during the drilling movement thereof and comprisinga forked bearing member engageable with said journal portion instraddling relation thereto from the underside thereof, mechanism onsaid carriage and operable to move said connecting means and saidbearing means into and out of engagement with a selected one of saidbeams, and other mechanism on said carriage for imparting said drillingmovement to said one beam through said connecting means.

9. In mining apparatus, a plurality of spacedapart mine roof-supportbeams supported at the forward end thereof on a mine wall by engagementin openings extending into said wall and provided with drilling means onsaid forward end adapting the beams'to deepen their own mountingopenings in said wall in response to drilling movement imparted to thebeams, each of said beams comprising connected longitudinal flange andweb portions, a carriage movable along the mine floor adjacent saidbeams, a traverse device on said carriage and including a yoke memberadapted for detachable driving connection with said beams in successionat the rear end thereof by straddling engagement of said yoke memberwith said web portion, elevator means on said carriage and operable tomove said traverse device into and out of driving connection with aselected one of said beams, and mechanism on said carriage for impartingrotary and axial drilling movement to said one beam through said yokemember.

10. In mining apparatus, a plurality of spacedapart mine roof-supportbeams supported at the forward end thereof on a mine wall by engagementin openings extending into said wall and provided with drilling means atsaid forward end adapting the beams to deepen their own mountingopenings in said wall in response to drilling movement imparted to thebeams, annular journal means on said beams adjacent the rear endthereof, each of said beams comprising connected longitudinal flange andweb portions, a carriage movable along the mine floor adjacent saidbeams, a traverse device on said carriage and including a yoke memberadapted for detachable driving connection with said beams in successionat the rear end thereof by straddling engagement of said yoke memberwith said Web portion, bearing means engageable with the journal meansof said beams and providing support for a selected one of said beamsduring the drilling movement thereof and comprising a forked bearingmember engageable with said journal portion in straddling relationthereto from the underside thereof, elevator means on said carriage andoperable to move said traverse device to align said yoke member withsaid one beam and to bring said bearing member into supportingengagement with the journal means of said one beam, said yoke memberbeing movable by said traverse device into said straddling relation tosaid web portion at the rear end of said one beam, mechanism on saidoarriage for imparting rotary and axial drilling movement to said onebeam through said yoke member, and power actuated prop means on saidcarriage and including beam elements movable into supporting engagementwith the mine roof in adjacent coextending relation to said one beam.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date Re. 18,491 Taber June 14, 1932 1,052,359 McDonald Feb. 4, 19131,295,320 Humphryes Feb. 25, 1919 1,588,987 OToole June 15, 19261,840,339 Vodoz Jan. 12, 1932 2,090,355 Miller Aug. 1'7, 1937 2,198,163Gullick Apr. 23, 1940 2,496,694 Brown Feb. 7, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTSNumber Country Date 83,575 Austria Apr. 11, 1921 379,975 Great BritainSept. 8, 1932 512,214 Germany Nov. 10, 1930

